Easter connects us to life and God

During the season of spring, we all freshen up with the liveliness surrounding us: such as warmer weather that brings small animals out from their hiding places; fields that fill up with green grass; and trees budding leaves that grow into fullness. Everywhere you look you see colorful flowers, and even gloomy skies look brighter and less gray.

At this time we can also enjoy J.S. Bach’s Passion music on TV or radio. It’s a privilege we can hear it, thanks to the German musician Felix Mendelssohn (1809-1847). He tried very hard to reintroduce J.S. Bach (1685-1750) to the world, by bringing Bach’s Sacred Oratorio (St. Matthew’s Passion and St. John’s Passion) to life. Mendelssohn brought to us the beautiful words and notes which Bach interpreted from St. John’s Gospel (chapter 18, verses 1- 5) to tell of Jesus Christ’s suffering, death and resurrection for humanity. Mendelssohn’s persistence was a gift to us, even though we didn’t know him in person.

Do you remember the book and 1995 movie “Dead Man Walking” by Sister Helen Prejean? A Catholic nun wanted to advocate for a convicted murderer on

Death Row. The story is the nun’s morally challenging account of her deepening activism to oppose the death penalty. The chronicle challenges us to think about what kind of standards we’re facing as Christians in society. How can we witness for Christ into the world? We don’t have to take Sister Prejean’s side in the story, but what does it mean for us to live for Christ as we move and act and express our being in our daily life?

In “Resurrection,” a famous masterwork by Russian classic writer Leo

Tolstoy, a dark side of life is described that impacted many readers, even though it’s a novel and not a true story. I think the writer drew out the common thread of hope with readers, who resonate with a feeling that all of us want to come out of darkness.

For Christians, there is no greater example than Eastertime to celebrate coming out of darkness. There’s no grander message we can pass along than

to say “Jesus Christ is alive!” In the Apostles’ Creed, we confess that

Christ was dead, Christ was raised and Christ will come again.

We’re not only celebrating Easter on Easter Sunday — in the springtime — we’re celebrating the Resurrection of our Lord every day. This is our simple trust in God’s promise, and we ask God to help us through our unbelief. The Resurrection is the “missing link” that empowers us to live, to act and to move with our faith every day. We pray that God will make our faith alive every minute, not only for ourselves, but for the sake of others and the world.

Chang leads the Lutheran Church of the Incarnation in

Cedarhurst